Looking for practical Luganda to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Luganda phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Swahili.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Swahili-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Luganda to Swahili translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Oli otya?
Habari(Oli otya?)
Webale
Asante(Webale)
Osiibye otya?
Habari ya asubuhi(Osiibye otya?)
Osiibye bulungi?
Habari ya mchana(Osiibye bulungi?)
Osiibye otya?
Habari ya jioni(Osiibye otya?)
Lwaki olugendo?
Usiku mwema(Lwaki olugendo?)
Tugenda kutya?
Tutaonana baadaye(Tugenda kutya?)
Nkwagala
Kwaheri(Nkwagala)
Erinnya lyo ani?
Jina lako nani?(Erinnya lyo ani?)
Erinnya lyange nze John
Jina langu ni John(Erinnya lyange nze John)
Oli otya?
Habari gani?(Oli otya?)
Nkwagala okukulaba
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe(Nkwagala okukulaba)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Okwogera mu Lungereza?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Sikozesa Hindi bulungi.
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Sijja kumanya.
Sielewi.
Nnyonnyola bulungi.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Osobola okwogera buno buno?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Ekitanda kiki?
Choo kiko wapi?
Nteekateeka owa city center?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Genda ku kkono.
Geuka kushoto.
Genda ku mwoyo.
Geuka kulia.
Genda mu maaso.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Ekitundu kiki?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Ticket emu, please.
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Kiki kirekera wano?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Ndi mu bubi.
Nimepotea.
Nneeyisa SIM card wano?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ye
Ndio
Nedda
Hapana
Okwagala
Pengine
Nnaakuwandiika
Ninakubaliana
Sikuwandiika
Sikubaliani
Kyo kyekirungi
Inasikika vizuri
Otekayo ki?
Unafikiriaje?
Osobola okundabira?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Nfuna obuyambi
Nahitaji msaada
Saba omukutu
Subiri kidogo
Nsaba
Ninasikitika
Tewali kibadde
Hakuna shida
Okwagaliza
Hongera
Okwagaliza ku lunaku lw'okuzaala
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Genda bulungi
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ky'ekitanda?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?(ekitangaala ky'ekitanda)
Ekitangaala ki?
Ni jukwaa gani?(ekitangaala ki)
Bwe ki ssaawa esigala?
Inatoka saa ngapi?(bwe ki ssaawa esigala)
Okwetegeka kwe?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?(okwetegeka kwe)
Kiri wano wansi
Iko karibu hapa(kiri wano wansi)
Kiri mangu
Iko mbali na hapa(kiri mangu)
Osobola okundabira ku kaddde?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?(osobola okundabira ku kaddde)
Ggenda wano, please
Simama hapa, tafadhali(ggenda wano, please)
Tewali bungi ki?
Inachukua muda gani?(tewali bungi ki)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Kiki ky'ekitundu?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?(Kiki ky'ekitundu?)
Ekitundu kyo kireetese.
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Oli n'ekikadde ekirala?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Nneetaaga okwefuga ku kadi?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Nneetaaga akatale ka abantu babiri.
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Ekitabo, please.
Tafadhali, bili
Okwetegereza kukyusiddwa?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Nze ndi omukazi wa mboga.
Mimi ni mboga
Tewali emmere eya kinyama, please.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Ono mulungi.
Hii ni tamu
Nneetaaga menu?
Naweza kupata menyu?
Ekikopo ky'amata, please.
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Mpozzi polisi
Piga simu polisi
Mpozzi ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Nfuna daktari
Nahitaji daktari
Ndi mu mbeera mbi
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Ndi mu bbeera ya nfuzi
Nina mzio wa karanga
Okwetegereza hospital ey'ekyama?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Bikozesa wano
Inaniuma hapa
Nfuuse passport yange
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Osobola okumpa mpozzi hotel yange?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Mbadde!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.